DRAWING OUT OF NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY STARTED IN ARMENIA

arminfo
2008-04-07 16:09:00

ArmInfo. Armenian consulting company Ameria and WYG International
have started drawing out of national road safety strategy started in
Armenia, ArmInfo correspondent was informed from Ameria.

Armenia is experiencing rapid growth in motor vehicle ownership and
use. In the last five years the motor vehicle fleet increased by 30%,
while the traffic carried by road increased by 38% (freight) and 61%
(passengers).

This rapid motorization is causing traffic congestion in Yerevan
and traffic accidents to increase rapidly across the country. During
the last five years the number of accidents in Armenia increased by
40%. Over 25% of Armenia’s traffic accidents occur in Yerevan and 75%
of them involve pedestrians.

Based on this situation, the Government of Armenia and the World Bank
initiated Traffic Management and Safety Project. Road safety was one of
the most important components of the overall initiative. As a result of
the competitive tender announced by the World Bank, the consortium of
WYG International (UK) and Ameria CJSC (Armenia) was awarded a contract
for "Preparation of National Road Safety Strategy for Armenia".

In the result, WYG International and Ameria will prepare the core
component of the traffic management and safety project – the national
road safety strategy for Armenia, with the development objective to
reduce the rate of traffic accidents and traffic fatalities in Armenia
and reduce congestion in Yerevan. It will be achieved by improving
the institutional structure for managing traffic safety, improving the
institutional capabilities of the municipality of Yerevan for traffic
management and passenger transport regulation, and will improve the
traffic carrying capacity and traffic safety of Yerevan streets.